Our Blog
The Mashpi Amagusa Reserve Saved By Donations
The Basantes family now owns 62-hectares of their precious Mashpi Amagusa Reserve thanks to kind donors.
Do You Need Travel Insurance for Your Next Trip to South America?
Scott takes a closer look at travel insurance options for destinations in South America, including Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia. He follows up with three recommendations for companies that we partner with - because if you decide to purchase travel insurance, we want...
The Mashpi Amagusa Reserve Saved By Donations
The Basantes family now owns 62-hectares of their precious Mashpi Amagusa Reserve thanks to kind donors.
Do You Need Travel Insurance for Your Next Trip to South America?
Scott takes a closer look at travel insurance options for destinations in South America, including Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia. He follows up with three recommendations for companies that we partner with - because if you decide to purchase travel insurance, we want...
Border Crossing from Colombia into Ecuador
While on our big trip from Bogotá to Lima, we heard about lots of potential problems crossing the border from Colombia into Ecuador. It was just after some of the worst waves of Venezuelans attempting to cross the very same border and there were rumors of long lines...
Rooted at La Dicha: A Regenerative Journey in Cali, Colombia
Connecting with nature, community, and ancestral wisdom in Colombia From the moment I arrived in Cali, I was embraced by its warm energy and the richness of its cuisine, shaped by the traditions of Colombia’s Pacific region. That’s where I met Lina Bautista, a...
Celebrate the Fiestas de Quito with Local Friends
The Fiestas de Quito always felt a little hard to enjoy when we lived in Ecuador’s capital. It was a deeply local celebration — the kind where every neighborhood threw its own party, and no one was promoting it to outsiders, let alone tourists. Still, one year stands...
Altitude Sickness Relief That Actually Worked For Me
If you've traveled to high altitude destinations, like Quito, Ecuador or La Paz, Bolivia, you've probably experienced some degree of altitude sickness. I first experienced it in 2011 in Cusco, Peru. We got off the plane and I was hurting immediately with flu-like...
Thoughtful & Affordable Gifts for Responsible Travelers
“What are some actually useful, sustainable gifts for people who travel a lot?” We hear it all the time... we've thought it ourselves! This guide is packed with thoughtful, practical, and planet-friendly gifts for travelers who believe that how we move through the...
Cueva de los Tayos: A Sacred Place at Risk of Mass Tourism
The Cave of the Tayos: From Sacred Sanctuary to Trending Tourist Attraction Deep in Ecuador’s Amazon region lies the Cave of the Tayos — once a sacred sanctuary and haven of biodiversity — now a place that stirs deep reflection within me. This iconic site, long...
Are You a United-Statesian?
Like most citizens of the United States, I call myself American all the time. It wasn't until I moved to Argentina that I learned how egocentric this single word can sound to Central and South Americans, especially when speaking in Spanish. Imagine a conversation that...
Testing the Swarovski AX Visio: Smart Binoculars in the Wild
Can smart binoculars really change the way we bird? Scott and Angie set out to answer that question with Swarovski’s new AX Visio in hand. From Oregon’s coastal marshes to the cloud forests of northern Peru, they put the world’s first smart binoculars through...